Stepdad
by hanfan
Summary: Can you picture Snape as stepdad to a firstyear Hufflepuff? Neither could he...
1. arrival

My first fanfic, it's allmoust scary…( to write it I mean…)  
  
And by the way, english is not my native language, so I will probabbly spell a lot of words wrong, and also fail gramatically. Please be openminded, and focus on what I have written, not HOW it's written….PLEASE….  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own anything, I'm just borrowing the characters…  
  
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Severus Snape was tired. Sometimes he wonderend if he really hated children…This afternoon, teatching double potions to Hufflepuff and Ravenclaws first years, had really worn him out.  
  
I never thaught it was possible to make an healing-potion explode, he murmeled to himselfe, as he entered the staffroom. He had two hours off before dinner, looked forward to spend them at the fire in the staffroom, not any stupid children nearby.  
  
  
  
He went in the direction of his favorite chair, and stoppet looking on the scene in front of him: In his favorite chair there was a small boy fast asleep. His age was about five, and he was curled up in the huge chair as a kitten. And in the chair closest to the boy there was a woman, not familiar to him whit another boy on her lap. This one was not much older than a baby, about a year old, and the woman was obviosly trying to make him sleep, singing slowly in a low voise, rocking him gentle.  
  
Snape was standing watching them, to shocked to make a noise. Beeing a part of Dumbledores staff, and also a death-eater had made him used to expect the unexpected, but to walk right into this peaceful family scene in the staffroom, was not what he expected.  
  
The sleeping boy in the chair, the connection between the woman and the baby, they where all he didn't have. He felt like an intruder, standing there watching them.  
  
Finally the babys eyes closed, and the woman rose, kissed the babys forehead as she laid him down in a babys basket at the side of the chair.  
  
Snape made a noice to make her notice him, and she looked up., gave him a weak smile, holding her finger in front f her lips, to make sure he didn't wake the children.  
  
She was just as tired as the boys, he could see, dark shades under her eyes and she moved a little stiffly as she aproched him.  
  
  
  
-I'm Professor Severus Snape, may I help you? He asked.  
  
She presented herselfe as Occotina Svaart.  
  
-I'm the mother of Jacob Svaart in Hufflepuff, he started here two weeks ago, she said. I need to see the headmaster, do you know where he is?  
  
Snape was about to answer as Dumbledore himselfe appeared in the room.- I'm here Mrs. Svaart, he said, I was told its urgent, do you need us t get your son?  
  
She shooked her head, -No, I don't want to worry him unessescarry, but I need your help.  
  
The headmaster nodded and leaded her away from the sleeping children, Snape beeing a bit curious followed tnem with is eyes, as they seated themselfe in the other end of the room, then he turned and left in the direction of his private chambers.  
  
-Now, tell us what's your problem is, the older wizzard said to the young woman in front of him.  
  
She looked into his twinkeling blue eyes and started to cry.  
  
-It's my husband! He threw me out of the house because of Jacob starting at Hogwarts this fall! He said that no one in his family ever had been wizzards, so it had to be the bad blood of mine turning up in the boys!  
  
As I refused to take Jacob out of school, wanting him to have the chanse I never got, I'm not very well educated in wizzardry, He kicked me out, together with these two small ones, and now I don't know what to do!  
  
  
  
Snape, who had stopped in the doorway, and listened was shocked. Damned muggles, not knowing what a real treasure is! he thought angrily, looking at the little family. How could anyone throw that away?!?!?  
  
-How did you get here? Dumbledores voice sounded conserned, as I remember, you live quite a way from here.  
  
-We walked mostly, Mrs. Svaart answerred tired, I didn'n have any money, as spent my last ones on Jacobs equipment. And travelling with theese two, she nodded in direction of the fire and the sleeping boys, I didn't dare to hitch-hike either. We left the day after Jacob, but Jonas here have short legs, we couldt walk so very fast.  
  
-how old is he? Snape forgot to pretend that he wasn't there, The boy didn't look a day older than five, and his mother was sitting here, telling that he just had been walking for fourteen days?!?!  
  
-He's four and a halfe, Mrs. Svaart said, looked up to Snape with a proud voice, I had to carry him a bit, but I had to carry Edwin too, so he had to walk most of the way…  
  
The two wizzards looked at the young mother silently, both with an impressed look in their faces.  
  
-You carried them both, Dumbledore said quietly, I'm impressed.  
  
She looked a bit embarresed, -It's nothing to make a fuzz over, it was the only way we could get here, and this was the only place I knew I could turn to.  
  
But what now? I have no place to live, I have no job, I have three children to take care of, and, she started to sob, I don't know what to do!  
  
Dumbledore turned to Snape, -Severus, will you go and fetch Minerva, Madam Pomfrey and Professor Sprout to me?  
  
Snape nodded silently and swept off, as Dumbledore embrased the crying woman, patting her on her back.  
  
-Shush, shush child, everything will be OK! I promise! The old man blinked, looking after Snape with a strange calculating look in his eyes…  
  
Puh, end of chapter one, you might guess what's going to happen…  
  
Please, give me some reviews!  
  
To day is 30 april, it's beltaine and I want to get out to fly on my broom…. 


	2. exploding broccoli

A/n :Wow! Someone have actualy read my first chapter….so I guess that I will continue writing…  
  
-probably would have written anyway, as we say here in Norway, I have a writing-itch…  
  
I'm writing my diary full in notime, and write my mailing friends to death…  
  
And now I've found another place to write…..  
  
Disclaimer: I still don't own anything…  
  
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~~~STEPDAD~~~  
  
Chapter 2.  
  
Later that evening everyone at Hogwarts knew the young mothers story.  
  
As a muggelborn witch she started at Hogwarts at the usual age, but she never graduated. At the age of 15 she met her husband. She became pregnant, and got married instead of returning to Hogwarts.  
  
Because her husband was a very typical muggle, she never told him she was a witch, she put her wand away, pretending to be "normal".  
  
She became an expert on kamuflaging all the strange things her sons did, as acidents, trying to rase them as muggles.  
  
But when the oldest got his letter from Hogwarts, she could not hide the fact that neither she nor her sons was muggles. And the day after sending him to Hogwarts, she had to leave too.  
  
Having no money, she turned to the only place she ever was allowed to be herselfe: Hogwarts.  
  
After talking to Dumbledore, and telling her story to the other teatchers, she had a short meeting with her oldest son, together with Professor Sprout, the head of his house. Then she and her sons were taken to the hospital-wing with Madam Pomfrey. She attended to their blisters and tired legs, fed them and ordered them all to bed.  
  
*****************  
  
Occotina was sitting in the window in the hospital wing. She was dead- tired, but she couldn't sleep. The day had been so full of events, she had to think them over.  
  
Starting out as a poor mother, with no money, no friends, and no future, she now had hope, hope for a better future.  
  
Dumbledore had told her that in the village of Hogsmeade they where in nead of a new teatcher for their youngest children, teaching them to read and write.  
  
She would get paid enaugh to feed her own children, and there was also a small cottage included in the sallery.  
  
Tears of happiness made their way down her cheeks as she kissed her sleeping sons before she went to bed.  
  
********************  
  
  
  
The next morning she was asked to join the staff at their table for breakfast, bringing her to youngest sons. She protested, feeling as a stranger amongst all the well educated professors.  
  
"Don't worry" said Dumbledore, "we're not all professors. "  
  
She was plased between Hagrid and Madam Hooch, together with her sons. At the end of the meal young Edwin wanted to get down on the floor, and she lifted him down. With a saussage in one hand and a huge smile he wandered off around the tables.  
  
***********  
  
Snape was eating his porridge not beeing aware of his surroundings. In his mind he had allready started his first lesson for the day. "There has to be a way to prevent young Longbottom from making a mess of everything?" he was thinking as he felt something stroking his leg. Presuming it was some of the students privates begging for leftovers, he looked down, intending to push the animal away.  
  
He stopped his movement, gaping at the face smiling to him.  
  
"Up!" the boy said, with a smile, lifting his hands towards Snape.  
  
Snape hesitated, uncertain of what to do. Small children was not something he was familiar with.  
  
"UP!" Edwin said again, grasping hold of Snapes robe, trying to climb up his knee by himselfe.  
  
"I think he want's to be lifted up to your lap, Severus, " he heard McGonnagal's voice saying. Looking at her, Snape could see, she was smiling behind her glasses. "What?!?" Snape said shocked. Sure she was mistaken?  
  
"UP!" Edwin kept on, still trying to klimb in his robe. Snape sighed, and lifted him.  
  
Giggeling of joy the boy grabbed Snapes nose, and twisted it.  
  
"Aouch!" Snape was stunned. Not from the suprising strenght of the babys fingers, or the pain in the nose, but he was stunned because he rather enjoyed it!  
  
The complete trust and joy in the little child's eyes was something different from what he usual experienced from the students, beeing the one everyone feared.  
  
  
  
"DADDY!" Edwin shouted happily and gave Snape a huge hug!  
  
The great hall went silent in a second. Everone turned to the staff-table, gaping at Professor Snape, holding a baby shouting "DADDY!" in his arms…  
  
As Hermione from Gryffindore said later on, they didn't know what the most shocking part was, Snape holding a baby, or seeing his pale face turning bright red…  
  
  
  
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"Severus, I want you to run an errand for me in the village, " Dumbledore said to his Potions Master, some months later. "It seems as Mrs. Svaart has gotten into some sort of trouble."  
  
Snape twitched his mouth, "No wonder, judging to what her oldest son are able to."  
  
Dumbledore looked curious at the wizzard in front of him, "Another Longbottom, is he?" he said with a smile on his face.  
  
Snape was shaking his head, "No, not really, young Svaart is talented as few, but he does not pay attention to what hes doing, and having a really odd sense of humor, he makes his part of the usual disasters in the dungeons. Last week he turned an simple experiment with a sleeping draught into a nightmare, as his started to fume, making halfe the class fall to sleep. My selfe included…"  
  
Dumbledore laughed, " I've always said you needed to get more sleep, Severus!"  
  
"HA, HA!" Snape said irritated, "that's exactly what that impertinent boy said when I gave him detention!"  
  
Dumbledore laughed even more, picturing the Potons Masters face when given such an answer. Snape was a skilled teatcher, but he was usually taking life to serious, the headmaster thought. He could very well understand that, being spy against the death eaters and all, but life was so much more than sorrow and pain!  
  
Dumbledore told Snape what he knew about Mrs. Svaart's trouble, and sendt him off to the village.  
  
******************  
  
Walking up the path to the small Mrs. Svaart's cottage, Snape thought of his last meeting with her family. He could still feel his face burning at the memory of the baby calling him daddy, and Mrs. Svaart "saving" him, explaining that he called every grown men daddy.  
  
Snape was puzled by the feeling of diappointment beeing told so, his thoughts wandered off to the scene in the staff-room, Mrs. Svaart in the light of the fire, singing her baby to sleep. How in the name of Merlin could her husband let go of them? That harmonc, and peacful family?!  
  
  
  
At the same time his thoughts was interruptet by the sound of an explotion inside the cottage infont of him, and he heard som screming voices. Pulling his wand out of his pocket, Snape aproched the door, assuming the family was I danger. He was streching out his hand to open the door, but at the same time it opened with a bang, and five years old Jonas came running out, with his mother after him.  
  
Not noticing his presence, she rwas running after the boy, shouting and yelling: "You little troll, it's the third time this week, oh you just wait until I get you, bloody little montster!"  
  
She got hold of the boy, and Snape wonderring if he should interfear, judging to the sight of her chasing him, the boy was in deep trouble. But as she grasped him, she pushed the boy over, and placed herselfe over holding the boy to the ground by sitting on him.  
  
"You little blastended skrewt, you better say you're sorry, or I will tikkle you to death!"  
  
Amazed Snape watched the laughing woman infront of him, playing with her son in such a childish manner. Again he felt this emptyness in his chest, the same feeling he got when he first saw her in the staff-room.  
  
"Ahem!" he said clearing his trout. She looked up, and smiled. "Ah, professor Snape! Dumbledore said you woud come, but I'm afraid this little monster of mine blew up your dinner!"  
  
Snape looked at the boy, hiding behind his mom, beeing a bit shy. "I hate brokkoli!" Jonas murmeled. "So do I, " Snape replied, turning to Mrs. Svaart, and said: "No problem, May I perhaps buy you and your boys dinner at "The Tre Broomsticks"?"  
  
He could see her doubt, and hurried to say: " I would be honnered, if you would let me, you just go and get the youngest one, …"  
  
"Help! " She said, and turned, running back inside. He followed curiously, wondered what would cause such a reaction. Was the very thought of dining whit him that repulsive?  
  
Entering the kitchen he understood. The walls was covered with what was ment to be his dinner, and in the middle of a large pool of dinner Edwin was sitting, soking wet, plaing with his mothers wand. Happily shaking the wand, causing little explotions of coloured sparks all over the kitchen.  
  
"Ga-ga-ga!" He stated, suddenly managing to make the table fly, by pointing the wand at it. Noticing he wasn't any longer alone, he turned the wand against his mother and Snape, trying to make them fly too.  
  
"Accio!", Snape pointed at the wand in the very young wizzards hand, using his own. The wand flew from Edwins hand, and he started to cry. "Mommy!"  
  
Snape turned, made a drying spell, and cleaned the kitchen the same way, as Mrs. Svaart lifted her sticky little baby boy from the pool of dinner, and carried him uopstairs to change his clothes.  
  
Ten minutes later she returned, having not only changed Edwins clothes, but her own as well. Now wearing a clean robe, dark green, with a pattern of snakes around her neck, seeing him she smiled, and said: "I used to be a Slytherin when I was at Hogwarts, thought I would save this for an special occation, and I think it's today."  
  
With Edwin on her arm, and Jonas in her other hand, she swept past him, "Are we going?"  
  
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So, what do you think? I'm starting to wonder if Mrs. Svaart and her boys are a little bit too much to poor Snape…. 


	3. fleas

A/n: Knowing exactly how Mrs. Svaart sometimes feels, I'm now enjoying the peace after putting my two boys to bed, and my husband has fallen alseep on the coach…(Luckily, his not kicking me out for being a witch…)  
  
Summary: Mrs Svaart has got trouble in the village, and professor Snape is checking on her.  
  
Disclaimer: I still don't own anything but the plot…  
  
  
  
++++++++++++++ Stepdad, chapter 3.+++++++++  
  
A few hours later Snape and Mrs. Svaart left "The Three Broomsticks". She was carrying Edwin, who had fallen asleep. "Thank you for the dinner, " She said, "but I guess you want to hear about last weeks events, that's why you came right?"  
  
Snape nodded, and she continued: "I will just go and put theese two in bed, then we can have a cup of tea and talk, ok?"  
  
"I'm NOT tired!" Jonas said, and yawned. The two grown-ups laughed.  
  
"Tell you what, " Snape said, "You get them to bed, and I'll make the tea!"  
  
She agreed, and went upstairs with her children, as Snape looked around in her tiny kitchen, trying to find everything. It didn't take long, she didn't own much, and again Snape cursed her husband in his thoughts. He had been watching her during the meal, impressed of how she mannaged to feed Edwin, make Jonas remembering his manners, (almost), and feed herselfe at the same time she was talking to him. It seemed as she had an eye at every finger, "I bet she's a good teatcher," he said to himselfe. But she hadn't made too many friends yet, only a few said hello as they walked trough the village, allthough, they nodded to him, The Potions Master of Hogwarts.  
  
He finnshed the tea, and remembering seeng two chairs outside the cottage, he braught the tea outside. From the open window in the childrens room he could hear the same song she had sung to her boys in the staff-room. Finaly it stopped, and not long after she joined him outside.  
  
***********  
  
"So, Mrs. Svaart, " he startet, but got interrupted. "Please," she said, "don't call me Mrs. Svaart! As I told you, that's the name of my mother-in- law, and I wil rather not be reminded of neither her nor my husband!" She put her hand on his arm to make her statement, and looked him in his eyes.  
  
"I'm just Occotina, " she said in a soft tone.  
  
Meeting her grey eyes made him a bit disturbed. Her look gave him a strange feeling of falling, and he had to take a deep breath to be able to remember what he wanted to dicuss with her.  
  
"Er, yes, Mrs. Svaart, I meen Occotina, " He stammered, confused over his own reaction to her presence. After all, he was not a teenager anymore, and she was, acording to his knowledge still married!  
  
"But then you have to call me Severus as well…"  
  
She looked shocked, "But, Professor, you are a professor, surely I couldn't…I mean, I'm nothing, just a silly village-witch who doesn't get along with the neighbores…"  
  
He sighed, "please?" He murmured a relaxing charm, and she agreed. "Now, perhaps ypu could tell med about your problems?"  
  
She looked a bit embarrased, and looked at her feet as she answerred in such a low voice he didn't understand.  
  
"Sorry, " he said, "I didn't get that one, say it again please?"  
  
"I hexed the mayers daughter!" she said, still looking at her feet.  
  
"WHAT?!" he caughet, as he had tried to drink he tea as she answerred. He looked at her, "You didn't?!"  
  
He was amazed, she seemed so wellmannered, and he could hardly picture himselfe her hexing one of her pupils. "Why?"  
  
She blushed a bit, took a deep breath and looked him in his eyes. "During your time as a teacher at Hogwarts I'm sure you have noticed that parents oppinions are spoken trough their childrens mouth? The children say what their parents says, right?"  
  
He nodded, and she kept on:" That's why I usually don't get angry if they have horrible oppinions, I blame their parents, and when they call me a muggle-lover,"…  
  
Severus widened his eyes, "They did?"  
  
"Oh yes," She said, "But it's sort of true, right? I mean I am muggleborn, and my husband was a muggle, it's sad, but true. So I don't blame them calling me that."  
  
"But," her face hardened, "I don't let anyone be rude to my children!"  
  
She staightened herselfe, "I didn't walk across halfe of Brittain to let my children be called MUDBLOODS!"  
  
Snape looked at her. He felt sorry for her, the way her husband had treatened her, and he was allready admiring her for her strenght getting to Hogwarts, but he realized that she was a lot stronger than he thought a woman could be.  
  
With the twist of a smile in the corner of his mouth, he disliked the Mayer in Hogsmeade very much, he was a pompous wizzard, known for his sympatetic feelings for the deatheaters, allthoug no one had proved it yet, Snape asked: "And you hexed her into what?"  
  
  
  
Occotina blushed again, Severus didn't know her well enaugh to say wether she blushed from anger or shame. She looked him straight into his eyes, and said; "I hexed her into a tode, ans she should be happy, because it was an improvement!"  
  
Snape bit his lip not to laugh, seeing how serious she was about it. "You do realize of course, that even to protect your sons you cannot hex your students? If I were to do that everytime some of my students pisses me off, there would be a lot of toads at Hogwarts…"  
  
"Besides," he added, " you really should be carefull about what you're saying and doing to the pupils, as they will tell their parents, and some of them might be having sympaties with the dark side. You don't want to put your childrens lives in danger, will you?"  
  
She was shaking her head, looking a bit shocked, "I didn't know the war was still going on,"  
  
"Are my children safe so far?" she said worried.  
  
Snape looked at Occotina, she was pale in her face. Leaning forward, he putted his hands over hers, and squized her hands gently. "I will look after you, Occotina…"  
  
*************  
  
"Oh, look!" She suddenly said in a happy tone, breaking the spell between them. She pointed in direction of the garden-path. "It's that lovably dog again!"  
  
"I think it's a stray, I've been feeding him for a month now. Actualy I was wondering to take him in for the winter. It would be nice for the children, and then I would have someone to cutle up against in bed." She blushed a bit referring to her bed infront of Snape, but he didn't notice, his eyes were fixed on the big black dog, now sitting at Occotinas side, licking her hand.  
  
"Snuffles!" he snared, and waved his tail at him, winking one eye.  
  
"Do you know his name?" Occotina smiled, caressing the dog's head. Severus felt his heart sink, knowing the true identity of the dog, and suddenly wishing to feel her hands on his own head.  
  
"Oh yes, good old Snuffles! You wouldt be the first to try to take him in, thoug I wouldn't recommend it, " Severus said cruely, looking into the dogs eyes.  
  
"He's not house-trained, and he's got fleas…"  
  
  
  
*******************  
  
Ooops, didn't see Sirius Black coming, this might get interesting… 


	4. rivals ?

***************** STEPDAD *****************  
  
1 A/n Sorry it took me so long to write, it's spring, and lovely weather outside! Which means that I've been out playing with my two sons…  
  
Disclaimer: I still don't own any of Rowlings characters…. But I do own Occotina, and her sons…(thank God that my sons don't have access to wands, they're making enough disasters as it is…)  
  
Rating G.  
  
Chapter 4……  
  
  
  
"Fleas?!, Honestly Severus, that's even a bit beyond you standards…" The dark man walking beside the potions master on their way back to Hogwarts, laughed.  
  
Snape on the other hand, were not laughing, scowling at the man beside him. " She said she wanted you as a bloody pet" he snared, "and."  
  
The other man interrupted him, "And you didn't like it?" Sirius was still smiling; it was amusing to see Snape act kind of protective to this woman. He couldn't stop himself from teasing Severus.  
  
During the past years, fighting together against Voldemort, the men had become friendlier towards each other, but they would never be close friends. Sirius loved any occasion to play a prank on hid former enemy, and this opportunity was TO grand…besides, the woman was kind, and lovely, not to mention.  
  
"No," Severus answered, in a curt voice " I didn't like it."  
  
Sirius smirked, " And why is that? Starting to like her perhaps? Are you starting to want you own family, huh?"  
  
Snape's face darkened, but Sirius kept on" You know what they say: It's the ultimate laziness to marry a woman with children, you'll get a family in the same package as well, that will spare you the bother making it…"  
  
Suddenly Sirius found himself hanging in the very angry potions master's hands, their eyes on the same height, Sirius' feet hanging in thin air. Snape's black eyes were glowing with anger: "Don't_say_anything_like_that_again_or_I'll_kill_you!"  
  
Sirius swallowed hard, which were not easy hanging as he did. "S-s-sorry, Severus, I didn't mean…"  
  
The taller man released him with a sigh; " I know. I'm sorry too, Dumbledore wouldn't approved us behave like this. After all, she's still married too."  
  
Sirius didn't look at him, "Well, not for long now," he said airily. From the corner of his eye he watched Snape's reaction. "Dumbledore is taking care of her divorce, it will probably be ready at Halloween."  
  
"Oh!» Snape straightened his back, "Well, I better get back to Hogwarts, don't you think?" His face didn't show any emotions, but Sirius could her the trace of a smile in his voice.  
  
"And," Snape turned around once more, "You better stay out of that woman's bedroom!"  
  
He left.  
  
Sirius watched him disappear. "Her bed?" he thought. "Her bed? Oh Severus, you don't know anything, do you…?"  
  
*******************  
  
  
  
Hmm, this is getting interesting to me to…  
  
I'm sorry the chapter is so short this time, but I have to figure this one out, the characters are not behaving the way I planned! What will happen NOW????? 


	5. defence

A/n: Thanks to you for reading my story! To the very observant reader, whos nickname I don't remember: Yes, Svaart means Black in Norwegian, although we spell it with one "a" in modern Norvegian. I haven't planned to make it a point in the story; I just thought it would be funny to use names from the Norwegian translation of Harry Potter. If you read one of my other stories, "The heir of Slytherin" You will see that one main Character is named Anna Smygard. Smygard is the Norwegian name for "slytherin"….  
  
Disclaimer: See the other chapters…  
  
Rating: G  
  
  
  
  
  
++++++++++++++++ STEPDAD +++++++++++++++++++++++++  
  
Snape was sitting in the staffroom, whit a huge pile of test on the table infront of him. He was pretending to look bsuy, but failed, as he didn't look at the paper and books infront of him. Instead he was staring out of the window.  
  
Totally lost in his thoughts he didn't notice that he was no longer alone in the room.  
  
"What the matter with him?" Professor Lupin asked his headmaster. The old wizard smiled: "Oh, nothing, nothing, he's just arrived from visiting Mrs. Svaart in the village."Lupin smirked, and the two men lest the staffroom, and the very absent minded Potions Master.  
  
  
  
'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''  
  
  
  
Snape replayed the day in his head, over and over again. Every smile, every move Occotina had made, during the day. What a remarkable woman! Strong, intelligent, good looking,… Severus sighed. She was a true treassure, but she was out of reach to him. Allthough she was divercing her husband, she would probably not be interested in a man like himself. The greasy old git every one feared and despised!  
  
But she had been a slytherin once; maybe she didn't mind his reputation?  
  
He sighed again, and started to consentrate on greading again.  
  
Out of reach, that was what she was…He shok his head, {Dreaming of a little familiy happiness, are we?} he said to himself.{dream on, you silly old fool, because that is the only thing you get, to dream of it…}  
  
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^  
  
  
  
Occotina was trying to consentrate on grading tests, but she failed. Her thoughts drifted off, to a certain professor.  
  
She knew his reputation; of course, he was the teacher all the students feared, her oldest son included. But towards her, he had always been polite and nice. Not anything like the sneers she had heard of. He wasn't used to be around small children, she could tell, but unlike her husand, he wasn't mean to them.  
  
Jonas could be real plague from time to time, not able to contoll his powers, he blew thigs up, or made thims disappear or made other disasters. That used to make her husband furious, sometimes even violent, but the professor has just smiled, and HELPED her clean up things!?  
  
He looked younger when smiling, she thought. He should be smiling more often. How she would love to be the one making him smile, she sighed. {He's a professor!} she told herself. {He doesn't want to be involved with an uneducated witch like youself, having three children!}  
  
She shook her head, and started to consentrate on grading again  
  
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^  
  
  
  
Letter to Snape:  
  
  
  
"To Professor Severus Snape,  
  
  
  
"Dear Professor Snape!  
  
I've been told that you protected my son against students from your house yesterday. I'm very grateful for your actions, and wish to thank you. Would you honour us to come and have dinner with us next Sunday? (I'll try to keep my wand away from Jonas…)  
  
Mrs. Occotina Svaart  
  
'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''  
  
Letter to Mrs Svaart:  
  
Dear Occotina!  
  
I thought we agreed on using ieac others given name? The honour is mine to dine with you and your family.  
  
There is, by the way, now need for gratiude. It's my job to protect the younger students, and Your Jacob did quite a good job protecting himself…  
  
Severus Snape  
  
  
  
,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,  
  
  
  
Severus was thinking of the events of the day before.  
  
"Mudblood, Mudblood!" The words echoed through the dungeons, and Snape increased his tempo.  
  
"Muggle-lover, muggle-lover, your mother is muggle-lover!" Severeal voices called. Then he heard a loud bang, and someone whimpering.  
  
As he turned the corner, Snape saw a group of 7th years slytherins, rounding someone up.  
  
He couldn't see who the poor bastard was, but judging to the scared faces of the 1st years hufflepuffs standing nearby, Snape gatheres, his students were harrassing one of their friends…  
  
"Malfoy!" Snapes voice thundered in the dungeons. "What in the name of Merlin do you think you're doing?!"  
  
He grabbes them by their robes, tossing them aside, revealing a youg hufflepuff in the middle, holding his wand in front of himself to defens himself, his face was all wet with tears and nosebleed, was Jacob, Mrs. Svaart's oldest son.  
  
  
  
At the sight of his teacher, Jacob threw ahimself forward, closing his arms around Snapes waist, hugging him.  
  
  
  
At first Snape was stunned, not even the 1st years of his own house trusted him enaugh to seek comfort that way.  
  
And, what shocked him even more, he kind of enjoyed it!  
  
Stroking the clilds back to calm him, he looked at Malfoy and his gang.  
  
"Detention________my office_________eight o'clock!  
  
Now get out of my sight!" he sneered.  
  
  
  
With the slytherins gone, he turned to his class. "Well we ought to get started, get inside and start prepearing to make footsweat-remover, its on page 35 in your books. I'll just check on Mr. Svaart here."  
  
He looked at the boys face, stained with blood, dust and tears. "Are you OK?" he asked softly.  
  
Jacob snorted, "They called me a mudblood, and they insulted my mother!"  
  
"I know" Severus calmly, "And they will be punished, I can assure you that I don't tolerate such a behavior in my dungeons. I won't let any one hurt a fellow student fysically."  
  
Jacob whimpered.  
  
"What?" Severus asked.  
  
"I think I hurted one of them!" He started to cry again. "Will I be punished too?  
  
When they insulted my mother, and told me I coldn't defend her, being a silly hufflepuff, I hexed one of them. They made me so angry, I think he got an black eye…I know it was wrong of me, …"  
  
Snape interrupted him, "You faced, six 7th years slytherins, defending both yourself and your mother, that proves courage, I'll give you 5 point to hufflepuff for that!"  
  
"You do?!" Jacob grinned widely. "Wow, I can't waite to tell my mother!"  
  
Snape had the shade of a smile on his mouth, "Well you better go and clean youself up a bit, then you will return to my classroom.  
  
Snape turned around, and entered the classroom.  
  
"Miss Stuka, You loose ten point for ravenclaw, not having your book on your desk!" 


	6. talking to the Potions Master

1 Disclaimer and rating: Same as the other chapters…  
  
  
  
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ STEP-DAD ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^  
  
Someone knocked on the door to Snape's office, and he glared at the door, irritated from the disturbance. He didn't answer; hoping the git outside the door would take a hint and go away.  
  
But the person outside the door just knocked once more.  
  
Severus sighed: "Enter!" he said tiredly, not looking at the door. He heard someone open the door, as he was standing with his back to it, concentrating on the potion he was making. It was a rather complicated "Heart-healer", to cure broken hearts. Madam Pomfrey used quite a lot of it, on students, which seemed to crash in and out of their relationships leaving broken hearts all over the castle.  
  
The last one Snape knew about was young Draco Malfoy, who secretly had cried his eyes out because Miss Granger turned him down. How anyone could fall in love in that "know-it-all" was far beyond Severus' understanding, but nevertheless, Madam Pomfrey had nearly run out on "Heart-healer" after that incidence.  
  
"Sir?" a small voice interrupted his train of thoughts. He had almost forgotten that someone had knocked on his door.  
  
"Yes?" Severus turned, and faced little Jacob Svaart from Hufflepuff…  
  
Snape was puzzled; it was rather rare that first years voluntarily came to the Potions Masters office.  
  
"Yes, Mister Svaart?" Snape said, arching an eyebrow, "Have you got yourself into trouble with any member of my house again?"  
  
The little boy shook his head, "No sir, I'm fine. Nobody has bothered me since that incidence outside your classroom sir."  
  
"Then why aren't you outside in the sun with the other members of your house?" Snape asked in a cold voice, he didn't want anyone to believe he was favouring the boy, just because he knew his mother.  
  
The young Hufflepuff swallowed, but looked the teacher boldly in his eyes.  
  
"You are going to see my mother tomorrow, aren't you?"  
  
"Yes," Severus answered with an expression of amusement on his face. Do you have a problem with that?"  
  
His black eyes could have given a Hippogriff a nervous hiccup, or at least start winking, but boy didn't wink; he laughed!  
  
"No, of course i haven't trouble with that!" He paused and looked down on his feet, then sighed, as to give himself the courage he pretended to have.  
  
"I was wondering," Jacob started, and lifted his head, "If I could ask you a favour, Professor?"  
  
"A favour?" Severus was puzzled.  
  
"Yes Sir," the boy answered, "It's my mothers birthday, could you bring my present to her?"  
  
Now the Potions Master looked truly amazed. "Her birthday? Of course I can take your gift to her, but, -why don't you take it yourself?"  
  
"I can't" Jacob said, "I'm not old enough to go to Hogsmeade on my own, remember?" He sighed and continued. "Professor Sprout is rather strict on that, she wont let me visit my mother on my own, and she doesn't have the time to follow me."  
  
"You can come with me!" the word blurted out of Snape's mouth before he could stop them.  
  
{What am I saying?} He asked himself {that means I have to be friendly to a small Hufflepuff the whole Sunday!}  
  
Looking at the happy face on Jacob, he knew he couldn't take it back either….  
  
"We're leaving after lunch, don't make me wait for you!" the professor groaned. "Now GET OUT!"  
  
The boy fled out with a happy smile on his face.  
  
{Birthday, hm?} He mused,{He'd better get her a present then?}  
  
He knew exactly the right one; he just had to go and talk to Hagrid….  
  
  
  
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^  
  
A/n: Well, guess what he is giving her….10 points to your house if you do… 


	7. 150 magical ways to clean up after home-...

1 Rating and disclaimers: Same as the others chapters…  
  
  
  
  
  
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^STEP-DAD ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^  
  
Snape almost stepped on Jacob as he came in to the entrance hall. It was obviously that the boy had been waiting for him.  
  
"Are you ready?" He asked the boy, who nodded enthusiastically. "I have to fetch something from Hagrid, if you can meet me at the gates?"  
  
Some minutes later they were walking in direction of Hogsmeade, Snape with a basket with a cover on his arm. Jacob was curious on what was inside the basked, but he didn't dare asking.  
  
Walking in silence the two wizards soon arrived the home of Jacob's mother.  
  
It was a lovely day, and she was outside in the garden with her two youngest boys. At the squeak from the garden gate, she turned and recognised her guests.  
  
"Professor!" she said.  
  
"Severus!" he corrected her, but she didn't listen, as she looked at her oldest son: "Jacob! I didn't think you were coming!?" Hugging her son, who was blushing from being treated like the child he was in front of the potions master, she turned to Snape: "Thank you for bringing my son with you, that's the best birthday present anyone could have given me!"  
  
"Mother, I have a present for you!" the boy said with a muffled voice, caused by the fact he was still being held against her. Severus watched them, and felt a sudden wish to feel how it would be held like the boy…  
  
Occotina released her son, and made them join her at the garden table as she opened the gift from her son. It was a book, called: "150 magical ways to clean up after home-disasters"  
  
Occotina laughed, "Well I guess that can be useful, with you at Hogwarts I only need 150. If you still were living with me and the other boys, I would have needed another 150…"  
  
Jacob blushed and looked at Snape, who bit his lip not to laugh, she was saying the truth. Occotina caressed her boys hair, "Now you go and play with your brothers, We wont be eating yet."  
  
Severus cleared his voice, "I, er, I have something for you too, Occotina."  
  
She stared at him, "For me? That's very nice of you, but bringing Jacob was gift enough…"  
  
He couldn't help himself from teasing her, "Very well, then i guess you don't want the gift from Dumbledore either, and you don't want to know what's in the basket?"  
  
She blushed, just like her son, and Severus felt his stomach lurched at the sight, she was so beautiful!  
  
"Well, I…"She started, and he interrupted her: "Of course you want them! Here, take the one from Dumbledore first!"  
  
He put his hand in his pocket, and pulled out a small package, tapped with his wand, making it grow to its real size. He placed the rather large box on the ground, and turned to Occotina. "Open it" he said, smiling.  
  
She removed the paper, and looked a bit puzzled at the sight of a fire extinguisher, of the kind muggles use.  
  
She looked at Snape with her face looking like a question mark. He smirked and said: Dumbledore said that even a educated witch might need one in a hurry, since its not always time to use a spell to stop a fire. And with the tempo your sons are making disasters, he thought it might be useful…You know how to use it, don't you?"  
  
She smiled weakly, and nodded. Could you carry it inside for me? I think its proper place will be in the hall."  
  
He did, and returned.  
  
"Then there is the last gift." He said, and placed the basket on her lap.  
  
She removed the cover, and "OH MY GOD!" she cried.  
  
The boys heard her shout, and came to se what the potions master had given her.  
  
She was sitting with a tiny little ball of brown fur on her arm. The ball twisted happily, and tried to use its soft pink tongue to wash away the tears of happiness that was making their way down her cheeks.  
  
Severus told her what Hagrid had told him: "It's a soft coated wheaten terrier. First I thought of giving you a crup, but I thought it would be a little to much together with the boys and all…"  
  
He was quiet for a moment, looking at her. He knew she liked dogs, but he hadn't expected her to start crying? He told her that, and through her sobs she explained: "I love dogs, but my husband hates them. When I met him I had an old wheaten terrier, and he didn't aloud me to bring him with me. The dog was 10 years old, and he died some months later. I haven't had a dog since"  
  
Again Severus cursed her husband inside himself, wondering how many times he had done that…  
  
Occotina hugged the little dog, "But this one is very dark brown, I thought all the wheaten terriers were beige?"  
  
"Not this one," Severus smiled, "two of the puppets were brown, and the owner was going to kill them, as he could sell them. Hagrid told me some days ago, and when Jacob told me about his birthday, I was certain you would like one. He's name is Coffee!"  
  
"Coffee!" she smiled to the little dog. Then she realised something: "What about the other brown puppy?"  
  
"Madam Hooch are taking care of it, so it's safe to. Hers is called Java, by the way…"  
  
  
  
"Mother! There is a spooky noise in the hall!", Jonas came running out of the house, looking scared.  
  
"What?" Occotina jump on to her feet, placed Coffee in his basket, and ran inside with Snape in her heels.  
  
"Oh, no!" she said, staring at the walls in the hall, "oh, no!»…  
  
"I didn't mean to do it Mother" Jonas was sobbing, sure he was going to get a scolding from her mother, "I didn't, mean to…"  
  
His mother didn't answer, she was just staring at the hall, covered with dust from the fire extinguisher…On the floor it mostly looked white, but at the red walls it looked yellow…  
  
"Er, " said the nearly speechless Snape, "There was an seal on it, to prevent this to happen, where did that go?"  
  
"Edwin ate it!" Jonas explained, and when i was going to move it away from him, it just started to dust everything, and , " He started to sob again…..  
  
The two adults stared at each other, trying hard not to laugh; this was way to hilarious….  
  
"er, Mother?" Jacob said, and handed her the book he had given her for her birthday, "i think you might need this…"  
  
  
  
*******************************  
  
  
  
A/n: This chapter is inspired by my two sons, as the youngest removed the seal on our fire extinguisher, and the oldest blew it up in our hall last week.  
  
And it's true, the dust look yellow on a red wall…. 


	8. pain

A/n: Sorry I'm so very, very late to update, My sources to inspiration, (my two sons) have acted allmost normally (!) for a while, so i didn't get any ideas.  
  
Rating, same as ever.  
  
Disclaimer; I can't spell! I 'll say it again: I CAN'T SPELL!!!!!! But if you ar intelligent enaugh to look past my spelling, you might still enjoy the story..  
  
  
  
+++++++++++STEPDAD++++++++++++  
  
Occotina was walking down the corridors of Hogwarts together with her little dog Coffee. (Who by the way wasn't so very small any longer, as he now was allmost five months old, and was a long legged "teen")  
  
She had allways loved walking the corridors, when she was a little girl too. Today it was "parents-day" at Hogwarts, and after leaving her two youngest together with Hagrid, she had had conferances with Jacob's teachers, the Head of Hufflepuff, and his other teachers.  
  
Now she was heading for the dungeons to talk with Snape. She felt a bit silly coming to him this way; they were seeing each other quite often in private. But she thought she should see all hers son's teachers at "Parent's day". And they didn't usually discuss Jaboc's progress as a student when they met. They usually went for long walks with coffee, talking about books, arts, all most everything, exept for the feelings growing between them. They were both too shy to talk about their feelings. But she was allmost sure he enjoyed her company allmost as much as she enjoyed his.  
  
++++++++  
  
In the dark corridor Coffee came a bit too close to her leg, and she stumbled and lost her purse. Oh, Coffee, you idiot, she laughed, are you afraid of the dark? Look what you did!  
  
She bended her knees, at reached her hand out for her purse, and, "NO!" she cried out in pain, as something in her back moved a way it wasn't supposed to move.  
  
"Oh shit!" she panted, the pain strained her voice. She tried to rise to her feet, but when she tried to move, the pain radiated through her body, makin her unable to get to feet.  
  
"Oh my! That looks painfull! You better get up to Madam Pomfrey, and lie down!"  
  
Occotina turned her head agains the mocking voice of Peeves, floating upside-down over her head, smiling at her as he was digging his nose with his index finger.  
  
"I can't" she moaned, "Peeves, please, can you tell somebody to come and help med get to the infirmary?"  
  
"No!" he said, "I don't feel like doing that at the moment!" he said, and floated off down the corridore, leaving her to her self..  
  
"Nooo! Peaves! Don't leave me!" She sobbed. Coffee snuggled into her, licking her nose to give her comfort.  
  
"OK!" she said, "I'll try another time. Come here Coffee!" The tried to use the dog to push her self to her feet, but it was useless. The pain paralized her feet. It was so strong now, that it made her queesy. She hugged the dog and cried in dispair and pain. Then the dog gave her a lick on her nose, and ran off.  
  
"No Coffee! Don't you too leave me here!"  
  
But the dog didn't listen, but ran away.  
  
+++++++++++  
  
  
  
In the staffroom Snape poured himself a cup of tea, hand seated himselfe by the fire. Sighing with his eyes closed. He was tired; this "parents-day"- thing was a new thing at Hogwarts to make the bondt to the parents stronger. And Snape was of the oppinion that it was a good thing, but it was truly exhausting.  
  
"Er, Severus!?" the potions master's pause was interupted by Hagrid. The half-giant was covered by fleur, and carried Mrs Svaart's two youngest sons. They too were covered in fleur, and something else, something sticky, they all looked weary. "-hate to interrupt yeh sir, but do yeh know where the mother of theese two little monsters are?!"  
  
Snape looked at the huge man and the two children, and bit his lip not to start laughing. "I thaught you loved monsters and dangerous creatures Rubeus?"  
  
The half-giant looked embarrassed, "Er yes, but thees two,."  
  
"I know," Snape said "They are more than a hand-full!.Their mother? I guess she's somewhere in the castle, having conferenses with her oldest sons teachers. I was expecting her to my office half an hour ago, but she never turned up, so I desided to take a breake."  
  
At the same time they heard a loud scratch on the staffromm's door, and an even louder barking.  
  
"Goffi!" Said the youngest boy with a smile.  
  
"A there she is, Hagrid, your're saved!" Snape said in a mocking tone, and went to open the door. Coffe ran happily through it, barking at the two men.  
  
"But," Hagrid started, where is Mrs Svaart?"  
  
Snape looked out in the corridore, it was empty. "I don't know" he said, he looked a bit worried as the dog continued to bark, running a bit down the corridore, looking at him, barking more.  
  
"I'll go and check!" he said.  
  
"But Sir! Professor!" Hagrid stuttered, "What shall I do with her children?"  
  
"I don't know," Snape answered as he left, "feed them I suppose!"  
  
++++++++++++++++++++++++  
  
Occotina was still lying on the floor. She had tried to crawl on her hands and knees, but the pain filed her body, and made her unable to move. She had resigned now, just lying still, hoping someone to come to her rescue.  
  
"Hello?" a voice called down the corridore "Someone there?"  
  
She lifted her head, "S-severus?" She whimpered, "I'm down here, I can't move, my back."  
  
He kneeled at her side, "are you sure you cant' rise?" "I can carry you I suppose?"  
  
He tried to lift her, and she cried out in pain. "No!" he said"That was obviously not too smart!"  
  
"Please!" she whispered hoarsly, "the pain, make it go away!"  
  
He sothed her hair away from her face, "I can't sweethart, I don't have any potions on me."  
  
As he spoke he waved his wand, and a strecher floated suddenly in the air. Then he levitated her on to the strecher.  
  
"Please!" she moaned, " the pain, it eats me!"  
  
"I know" he murmured, "but I don't have any potions here, as soon as we get you to the infirmary."  
  
"Then stupefy me!, knock me out, please!" her voice was desperate, and she clingered to his hand.  
  
He hesitated, "I don't know." He looked at her face, rey and sweaty from the pain. "er, very well, STUPEFY!" at his last words he pointed at her with his wand, and she lost her consiousness. "Forgive me." he whispered, and started to float the strecher to the infirmary.  
  
+++++++++++++  
  
A/n: this part is inspires from my injured back, which partly is the reason that I haven't updated lately, it hurts to sit too long at the computer.  
  
Peeves is inspired by my oldest, who acted similary as the poltergaist when I asked him to get his father to help me up from the floor, "No, I don't feel like it at the moment.!" Luckily our hous isn't as big as Hogwarts, I could shout for help, and I was heard. 


	9. bathing Snape

A/n: sorry for not updating, computer-problems.  
  
Disclaimer. I still don't own anything..  
  
Warning: as always: I CAN'T SPELL!!!!!!!!!  
  
Rating: As always.......  
  
  
  
***************** STEPDAD ******************  
  
  
  
Occotina woke slowly, her eyelids felt so very heavy. The pain in her back had subsided to an aching. Still there, but not the kind it had been, eating her soul.  
  
  
  
She could her the murmuring of voices. Some familiar to her, and some were strange to her.  
  
She could hear the word "mother" and "all-right", she recognized her name, and the sentence "need to sleep". Then she heard people leaving, and she could feel a hand stroking her cheek.  
  
"Now dear!" the soothing voice of madam Pomfrey sounded. "You can open your eyes now, I have thrown all you worried friends and family out of the infirmary."  
  
Occotina forced her heavy eyelids to open.  
  
"Good girl!" The mediwich smiled, "How do you feel?"  
  
  
  
"Tired" Occotina murmured.  
  
"Of course you are," madam Pomfrey said, "I gave you a very strong painkilling potion as I pushed the dislocated disc back into its right position in your spine. How does it feel?"  
  
Occotina gave a weak smile, "Its much better, it's just aching now."  
  
"Good, good," the nurse nodded, "Now you just go back to sleep, your body will heal much better if you rest."  
  
"But," Occotina stuttered, " my boys, and Coffee?"  
  
As he heard his name, the brown dog at the side of the bed gave a small bark. The two women smiled.  
  
  
  
"Well, as you can hear," Madam Pomfrey said, "your dog is here, faithful as he is. And if I had let them, I think your three your sons, and Professor Snape, would have stayed too. On the other hand, the best for you now is to rest. So I ordered them out. And I told the Professor, that if he wanted to help you, he should give your very sticky sons bath, and take care of them until tomorrow.."  
  
The thought of the potions master giving her sons a bath, made her close her eyes and whimper. "Snape, baby-sitting my two monsters? Do you have a grouch against him?"  
  
  
  
With the sound of the mediwich's laughter ringing in her ears, Occotina fell back into sleep.  
  
  
  
  
  
*********************  
  
  
  
  
  
The potions master of Hogwarts, was not sleeping, he was just as wet as the two boys in the bathtub, and there was almost as much water on the floor as in the tub.  
  
Finally he had gotten them both out of the water, dried them, and put new clothes on them. Exhausted, and still wet, he brought them to the great hall for dinner.  
  
In the great hall he managed to persuade two of the senior girls in Hufflepuff to look after and feed them. With a sigh of relief he sat down at his seat at the high table.  
  
  
  
  
  
"So you finally decided it was time to wash your greasy hair?" The rude voice at his right side revealed that Sirius Black was back in the castle. "And your clothes too? Well it is an improvement, but if I may give you a tip, its much more easy to wash them when you're not wearing them."  
  
"And that advice comes from the person who usually don't wear clothes at all." Snape replied dryly, and continued: "I know that your idea of hygienic behaviour is to wear a flee-collar, and thinking of how dogs wash their genitalia, I'm not at all surprised of all the dirt coming out of you mouth."  
  
  
  
With those words Snape turned away from the animagus, and concentrated on his food, ignoring the very red face of Sirius..  
  
  
  
  
  
There was an odd silence in the great hall, as everybody had heard the last sentence. But before Sirius could fling him self over the potions master and strangle him, the happy voice of Edwin sounded clearly n the great hall, as he shouted from the Hufflepuff table:  
  
  
  
"-ape!", and pointed happily at the man who just had given him a bath...  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
****************************  
  
  
  
A/n: Small children like Edwin very often "swallow" the first letters in words and names, making Snape come out as ape, or as my youngest son calls my friend tine, instead of her real name, who is Kristine . 


	10. bad dog!

STEPDAD Rating: G Disclaimer; as always..  
  
Warning: I CAN'T SPELL!!!!!!!!!!!  
  
**************************************  
  
  
  
"Ape!" the little voice sounded clearly in the great Hall, and everybody silenced, and looked from the potions master to the little boy pointing happily at the man he knew and then looked back to the usually pale and severe man.  
  
Snape tried to look, as being called "ape" by little baby-boys was quite normal. But the red blush in his cheeks gave him away.  
  
"Smart kid!" Sirius smirked as Edwin had made his way to Snape and tried to climb up on his lap. "Yes, he is!" Snape agreed dryly, when Edwin shouted "Bad dog!" and pointed at Sirius.  
  
*********************  
  
Later that night the two youngest sons of Occotina were sleeping at last, in temporary beds in the dorm of their older brother. And Snape was sighing happily by the fact that he wasn't babysitting them any longer.  
  
Bringing with him a cup of coffee, he went to the infirmary, to see if Occotina was awake.  
  
Relieved that Poppy wasn't there to comment why he showed so much care for the young mother, he sneaked into the infirmary.  
  
He hadn't thought about his feelings towards one certain young mother, he didn't want to. He just told himself that she as one of very few friends.  
  
Occotina was sleeping. Her dog lay in the foot-end of her bed, just wagging its tail wh he recognized the man approaching the bed. He tiptoed to her bed, and placed the cup of coffee at the table at the bedside. For moment he stood still watching her, then he turned around, to walk out of the room.  
  
"Professor?" her voice was weak, and sounded very sleepy. Her eyes were still closed. She lifted her hand in his direction. "Please stay!" She patted her hand beside herself on the mattress.  
  
Suddenly he felt warm. Knowing nobody could see how out of character he acted, (not good for his intimidating image) he seated himself the bedside. She gripped his hand, and he let her do it, telling himself that it was just because it would not be polite to not let her. "How are you feeling?" he asked. She smiled, with her eyes still closed. "Drowsy, I think the painkiller potion Madam Pomfrey gave me was very strong." He agreed, "It is, I should know, I made it. It makes you very sleepy, but it usually wipe out the pain too."  
  
"It did!" She said, and then she started sniffing like the dog in the end of her bed, "strange, " she said, "it smells like coffee in here, and I'm not talking about the dog."  
  
"It is," Severus smiled, "I brought you a cup if you don't mind?"  
  
"Mind?" she smiled, and opened her eyes half, "How did you become a professor with that slow brain? When did I ever turn down a cup of coffee?"  
  
She bit her lip, "but I don't know how I'm going to drink it, I'm not able to sit, and I'm so knocked out by the potion I don't know where my arms begin, certainly not how to lift them!"  
  
"I'll help you" Snape said in such a soft tone that it startled himself, and made him look over his shoulder to be sure nobody listened.  
  
With tenderness he never knew he possessed, he slid one arm under her shoulders, lifting and supporting her as he held the cup to her lips with his other hand.  
  
She sipped the coffee, and closed her eyes in delight.  
  
"Good?" he asked.  
  
"Best coffee ever tasted" she said with a smile. "One usually don't get that good coffee in this country"  
  
She opened her eyes and met his black gaze. To answer the question in them she continued: "My mother wasn't English you know, she taught me to make coffee. It made me picky. Englishmen are usually bad coffeemakers, and most wizards are even worse. But your coffee are exquisite, I'm impressed!"  
  
"Don't be," He said brusquely, to cover ho flattered he was. "Just enjoy it."  
  
He gave her another sip.  
  
"After all, I'm a potions master, remember? I would be a bad potions maker if I couldn't make anything simple as coffee!"  
  
She giggled, and the sound made him nearly loose the cup.  
  
[what is wrong with me today?] he asked himself. To distract her from seeing how his hands were shivering, he started to tell her about her oldest sons progress in class, and that he was sharing dorm with his younger brothers for the occasion.  
  
Relived she drank the coffee, and fell asleep again.  
  
Severus slid his arm slowly away from her shoulders, trying not to wake her, and tiptoed to the door. He turned to get a last glimpse, and the last he saw was the dog wagging his tail at him.  
  
Wondering why his chest felt so heavy, the potions master returned to his dungeons.  
  
  
  
********************  
  
A/n: Sorry for not updating, we're moving to another part of the country, so I'm a bit busy besides, My boys have been acting all most normally lately. Maybe I should be worried, they might be ill.. 


End file.
